🐝What's happening in Waco this weekend? (5/2-5/4)

Good morning, Waco! This is the Waco Buzz, the local newsletter out to prove everyone who says Waco is boring completely wrong.

• Weekend Weather: A few storms Friday, then it’s smooth skies ahead—perfect weather Saturday and Sunday with highs in the mid-70s and sunshine to spare. ☀️🌤️

• HoT Fair & Rodeo Breaks Record 🎓

• Open House: 3200 Parrott Ave 🏠

• Weekend Events, Cinco De Mayo Parties, and a lot more🎉

Let’s dive in!

Buzzworthy News

It’s the first weekend in May, and Waco is blooming with energy. Cinco de Mayo technically lands on Monday, but the celebrations are rolling all weekend long. Grab a friend, get outside, and soak it all in—from festivals to farmers markets to live music downtown.

In big local news: the Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo—which lights up the Extraco Events Center every October—just awarded a record-breaking $313,000 in scholarships to Central Texas youth. That’s a powerful reminder that when you pay $10 for funnel cake or wonder if you should do one more round on the Fireball, you’re not just making memories—you’re supporting futures. 👏🎓

And for the husbands, sons, and anyone lucky enough to have a mom: consider this your gentle nudge—Mother’s Day is just over a week away. Don’t wait until next Saturday night at CVS to get Mom something. One thoughtful idea? Gift her a journal where she can write down her stories, recipes, and favorite memories. (Here’s one she’ll love → Mom Story Journal*)

🐾 Pet of the Week: Meet Pawbert De Niro, a 7-year-old English Bulldog mix with a heart of gold and a face made for memes. Weighing in at a solid 56 pounds, he’s got serious “you talkin’ to me?” energy—but don’t worry, this guy’s all love and loyalty. He’s currently waiting for his forever home at Pet Circle Regional Animal Center. Someone adopt this good boy already.

🗳️ Saturday is Election Day across Waco and McLennan County—a chance to help shape our schools, neighborhoods, and local leadership. Voters will weigh in on city council seats, school board races, and bond proposals. Polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM, and with countywide voting, you can cast your ballot at any location in McLennan County. Find out who is running and where to vote here.

🎲 Waco-Opoly?

I’ve been talking with a company that makes custom Monopoly-style games, and it sparked an idea—what if we made a Waco-Opoly board? Something that celebrates Waco’s charm, history, and local favorites (yes, George’s would be on there). It’s a bit of a lift to design and pull off, but if enough of y’all are into it, I’ll start digging in to see what it would take.

^{_{*This is a product recommendation. When you buy through this link, Waco Buzz may earn a commission}}

Together with Goss Tree Service

🌪️ After that big storm rolled through Waco, your trees might need a check-up.
Goss Tree Service is on call for emergency cleanup, fallen limb removal, trimming, and stump grinding.
Locally owned, fully insured, and trusted across Central Texas—these folks know Waco trees.
👉Call 254-715-5371 or visit gosstreeservice.com to get ahead of the next storm.*
^{_{*Indicates partnership content}}

OPEN HOUSE🏡✨

Can you guess the price of this fully restored 1916 showstopper, listed by Kodi Elwood with Greater Waco Realty?

✨ Soaring ceilings, custom cabinets, and a 500 sq. ft. covered deck made for parties.
🌞 Natural light perfect for morning coffee or winding down with a book.
🏡 Originally built in 1916 with new plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and a fresh roof.

How much is this 4 bed, 3 bath beauty in Dean Highland going for? Take your best guess before finding the answer at the bottom of today’s newsletter!

Weekend Preview 🗓️
The first weekend of May is packed. Sunshine’s mostly on our side, and the city’s coming alive with Cinco de Mayo celebrations, outdoor markets, and block parties. Whether you’re in the mood for crawfish, jazz, or a good cleanup crew—there’s something here for you

For families 🎈🎈
• LEGO Spring Build – Barnes & Noble | Fri 6:00 PM | Free build fun with the kids. 
• Free Comic Book Day – Bankston’s | Sat 9:00 AM | Grab a free comic and support a local staple. 
• Heart of Texas Comic Con – BASE| Sat 9:00 AM | Meet actors, actresses, and WCW Legend STING. – More Info
• Mayfest 2025 — St. Jerome Catholic Church | Sat 9:00 AM | Crafts, Auction, BBQ Plates, Bingo, Raffle, Bounce House Kid Zone. – More Info
• Waco Downtown Farmers Market – Downtown | Sat 9:00 AM | Your go-to Saturday morning tradition. 
• Petworking in the Park – Brazos Park East | Sat 10:00 AM | Dogs, networking, and sunshine? Yes please. – More Info
• Lacy Lakeview FUN – Veteran’s Memorial Park | Sat 11 AM | Vendors, Kids Crafts, Bounce Houses, Music, and Food Trucks
• Granny Basketball Fundraiser – MCC Highlands Gym | Sat 2:30 PM | Delightful, hilarious, and for a good cause. – More Info
• Cinco de Mayo Celebration– The Will | Sun 11:00 AM | Celebrate with food, vendors, and live music. — More Info

For the music lovers 🎶

• Brazos Nights: Sunny Sauceda – Indian Spring Park | Fri 6:00 PM | Free Latin night under the stars. – More Info
• Goodfellas Michael Saldana & Sundae Drivers Crawfish Boil – Lakeside Bar | Sat 12:00 PM – More Info
• Jazz Strings Concert – Waco Hall | Sat 4:00 PM
• Cinco de Mayo with Ziztema – Backyard | Sun 6:00 PM

For the artsy & cultured 🎭🎨📚
• Black Glasses Film Festival – Waco Hippodrome | Fri 7:00 PM | 25 years of student cinema. Waco-grown talent on screen. – More Info
• Othello – Jones Theatre, Baylor University | Fri & Sat 7:30 PM; Sun 2:00 PM | A 1960s jazz-infused retelling of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. – Tickets
• Cendrillon (Opera) – Waco Hall | Fri & Sat 7:30 PM | A classic brought to life by Baylor performers. – Info
• I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – Waco Civic Theatre | Fri 7:30 PM & Sun 2:30 PM – Info
• Spring Concert: Destiny – Ball Performing Arts Center | Fri 7:30 PM & Sun 3:00 PM – Info
• Improv Comedy Show – Brazos Theatre | Sat 7:30 PM – Info
• Olivia Taylor: Paradise Motel Reading – Fabled Bookshop | Sun 4:00 PM – Info
• Fair Trade Watercolor Workshop – World Cup Cafe | Sat 10:00 AM – Info

For the event-hoppers & socialites 🎉

• Pinewood Block Party – Pinewood Public House | Sat 11:00 AM | One of Waco’s best annual block parties. – More Info
• Grand Opening – Around The World Cafe | Sat 11:00 AM | 119 N 12th St
• Teacher Night 2025 – Fabled Bookshop | Fri 6:00 PM | Cheers to educators. – More Info
• Good Dogs at the Derby – Freight Bar | Sat 3:00 PM | Yes, it includes pups in bowties. – More Info
• Kentucky Derby Watch Party Fundraiser – Baylor Club | Sat 4:00 PM | The Best Two Minutes in Sports. – More Info
• Cinco de Mayo with Ziztema – Backyard | Sun 6:00 PM | Close the weekend with a Latin groove. – More Info

For the do-gooders 🌎
• Trash Free Brazos River Cleanup – McLane Stadium | Sat 9:00 AM | Gloves on, river refreshed. – More Info
• Community Opportunity by Waco PD – Foster Pavilion | Sat 10:00 AM | Local orgs, employers, and nonprofits all in one place. – More Info

Looking Ahead
• Rob Schneider (From nearly every Adam Sandler movie, Saturday Night Live, and my kids favorite - Home Alone) is coming to the Waco Hippodrome on his comedy tour Friday, May 30th | Grab Tickets Here

• Waco’s own Forrest Frank sold out again—his second hometown show will be at Magnolia’s Silobration this fall. Night two? NEEDTOBREATHE takes the stage. Grab your tickets before they’re gone: Get Tickets

LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN 🎸

Friday
The Lindsley Brothers | Camp Fimfo | 7 PM
Brazos Brothers | Segovia Wine Bar | 7 PM
Another Band of Gypsys | Waco Missions | 7 PM
Blue Sundown Band | The Will | 7 PM
Medalist, Cordoba & Little Cat | Common Grounds | 8 PM | 🎟️ Tickets
Byron Haynie | Blue Pup | 8 PM
Stoney LaRue | Backyard | 8:30 PM | 🎟️ Tickets
Cinco de Mayo Party ft. Tejano Badd Boyz | BIG’s Mayberry | 8:30 PM
DJ Euby | Freight Bar | 10:30 PM

Saturday
Gospel Explosion 2025 | Performing Arts Community Center | 5 PM | 🎟️ Tickets
ELVIS featuring Al Joslin | Waco Hippodrome | 7 PM
Blake Dagley | Camp Fimfo | 7 PM
Live Jazz with Pat McKee Trio | Segovia Wine Bar | 7 PM
Paulpalooza ft. Steel Loaded & Mad Hatter | BIG’s Mayberry | 7 PM | 🎟️ Tickets
Six Gun Sound & Reckless | Backyard | 8 PM | 🎟️Tickets
DJ Wyatt | Freight Bar | 10:30 PM

Sunday
CTJS Jazz Jam | Segovia Wine Bar | 12 PM
Ziztema | Backyard | 6 PM

💼 Now Hiring in Waco

💼 Billing Manager @ Cornerstone Caregiving
Help lead a national caregiving company from right here in Waco. This full-time, on-site role pays $60K–$80K and comes with leadership responsibility over a remote billing team. If you’ve got a knack for numbers and 2+ years of bookkeeping experience, this could be your next big move.
🔗 Apply Here

📦 Wholesale & E-commerce Planner @ Sendero Provisions Co.
Join one of Waco’s coolest homegrown brands and help plan inventory across their booming wholesale and e-commerce channels. This is a full-time gig (on-site) where you’ll forecast demand, manage product lifecycles, and collaborate across departments—all while shaping what people are buying. 3+ years of inventory or merchandising experience recommended—and yes, Excel wizards, they’re looking at you.
🔗 Apply Here

THANKS!

Thanks for reading the Waco Buzz today. If you found something helpful, share it with Mayor Jim Holmes.

Want your business to be the one everyone’s talking about this weekend? Hit reply and let’s talk.

Have a great weekend, Waco!